How do I transfer TPWD fish attractor positions on my sd card to my Lowrance HDS 12 touch unit????

Bonz, I've been adding a large number of gps coordinates from the Ok Fish & Wildlife website and have not found any easy way yet. I have to manually enter in the numbers by hand with my Touch still powered up on the boat.
I'm certain there must be a better way and maybe someone will pipe in here and help us both out??????????????
The OK wildlife guys have put out 'fish attractors' in almost every body of water in the state and have been for years. I didn't do a count but there is a huge list of lakes/ponds/etc on their website with maps and coorinates.

OkieBob thanks for responding .It`s really frustrating to have to do it all manually one at a time. At least I know how to do it at my computer desk.

For both of you. Send me the links to the web pages you want to transfer. I am sure I can figure it out and provide instructions as to how. It will probably be a couple/three steps but it is likely this can be done easily. I did Missouri and OK wpts without having to manually key. I presume I can do much the same for the ones you want.

PS - not asking for the pages for self indulgence. I don't want to research for the page and maybe get the wrong one. It is highly likely I've already done it. I have over 50 lakes like this so I've probably already done the ones you want but don't remember because it has been sometime ago. PM me if you don't want to publish here but it is public knowledge.

I use Lowrance so it should be easy to provide instructions. Maybe, I'll just convert for you and provide a .gpx file but having the instructions would allow transferring of other interested lakes for the future.

I found these downloadable files on the TPWD lake finders page under Gibbons Creek Lake.After I downloaded them to my sd card I am lost as far as what to do next to get them to my lake maps.

Here you go:

Please note, my instructions are based on using Windows 7 Home Edition, Internet Explorer v11.

Go to http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/fish/recreational/lakes/fish_attractors.phtml

First column are the lakes; I'm using Gibbons per your post.

In the 6th column, locate GibbonsGPX. Right click, then click SAVE AS. A window will appear to save the file in. Locate your SD card and before saving the file, change the extension .xlm to .gpx. Click SAVE. Eject the card after the SAVE operation is completed and remove from the computer. Insert the card into the unit. Then import the file GibbonsGPX.gpx. It's done!

If you don't know how to import the file, after inserting the SD card into the unit, go to pages until the Waypoint page appears, walk the cursor down and highlight Files and press ENTER on the unit. This will show you your files. Walk down to file GibbonsGPX.gpx and press Import down at the bottom buttons - your done.
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TPWD makes this easy because of the different file types made available for downloading. For grins, let's presume they don't do any of these files but the first column (CSV format).

You would need to go thru a conversion process.

Second column is the "DDM" file for file extension .csv (often used for MS EXCEL and many other programs). File name on web page is "GibbonsDDM". Right click, click SAVE AS. A window will appear to save the file in. Make note of this folder as it is where the file will be placed. If you don't won't this folder, create the folder you want the file in or use an existing folder of your choice. It doesn't matter what folder but make sure to note this folder for steps coming up. Lets call this STEP 1.

Now go to GPSVisualizer at http://www.gpsvisualizer.com/convert_input?convert_format=gpx&force_type=w. It's free and a powerful translator/conversion program. In the grey box there are button choices between Text, GPX and GE KML. GPX should already have a black button marked, if not, then click it. Now click, BROWSE, and click the file saved in STEP 1 then OPEN. The STEP 1 file will appear in the first of the three 'Browse' windows. We are only converting one file (Gibbons) so the others are left blank, when in fact, we could have saved all the lake files by repeating STEP 1 for each and then converting all at one time but lets not confuse the conversion instructions.

Now click the CONVERT window, wait (takes seconds if that) and another page will appear. On that page, your file will have been converted and ready to save as a .gpx file. Right above the YELLOW DONATE is where your file has been converted. You will need to save it on the computer or directly on the SD card, your choice. Right click the link and repeat the SAVE AS procedure. Then remove the SD card if saved on it. If not saved on the SD card, do it at this time. Remove the SD card from the computer, insert it in the unit, and import as above.

Please note the following instructions are on the TPWD website cited above: To download a file, right-click the link and choose "Save as..." or "Save target as..." and watch to make sure the file saves with the appropriate extension (.gpx, .csv or .kml) Some browsers will attempt to convert the GPX to XML; if that happens, change the extension to .gpx before saving.
I'm sure this is why you could not get it to load. Just change the file extension to '.gps' NOT '.xml' on the SD card before importing.


All of the above probably reads and looks convoluted but taken step by step, I think it can be easily used. I've gone from Garmin, HB and Lowrance back and forth using the above using several mapping programs over the years.

OK after I put the sd card back in my unit and import all the files, will the FA automatically show up on each lake or do I have to go to each lake and do it manually?

Does FA = Fish Attractor? If so, yes. If not, what the heck is it?

OkieBob, you have a PM.

Thanks so much Jimmy, I got your pm and will attempt to do a couple of lakes up here that I want to try and fish soon. Looks like you have really covered all the bases on this and it is going to be a hugh help to a lot of people!
You have my vote for 'tech guru of the decade'!!!!